Automatic window control



July 20, 1954 w. o. GAFFNEY, JR 2,684,239

- AUTOMATIC WINDOW CONTROL Filed June 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. lo 2 Fig. 4 2,4 D J 12 22, 24 fi sg I I. W a I 1 W MM,

J y 1954 w. o. GAFFNEY, JR 2,684,239

AUTOMATIC WINDOW CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25, 1951 92 10a 26 //0 #2 93L ia EViMFZ S IOS I26 g [34 Fig. /2

I6 7 William 0. Gaffney, Jr

INVENTOR.

Patented July 20, 1954 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC WINDOW CONTROL William 0. Gaffney, Jr., Miami, Fla.

Application June 25, 1951, Serial No. 233,278

Claims. 1

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in an automatic control and more specifically pertains to a device adapted for association with windows for automatically opening and closing the same in response to a moisture responsive switch associated with the electrical circuit of a motor.

The primary purpose of this invention is to provide a device capable of easy mounting upon and association with windows of different types, such as double hung casement windows and the like, and which shall automatically close the windows when a moisture responsive element has been activated by the presence of rain or the like; and will open the windows when the moisture responsive element has dried thereafter or remains unmoistened.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device in conformity with the preceding objects which shall include means enabling the operator to manually actuate the mechanism for opening or closing the windows in the event of failure of the automatic control mechanism.

Yet another important object and purpose of the invention is to provide a window control device as set forth in the above mentioned objects wherein the range of movement of the device for opening and closing windows may be readily varied and adjusted.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention, which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing one form of window construction of the double hung casement type having a device in accordance with this invention applied thereto, the window being shown in its closed position;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the arrangement of Figure 1, taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of Figure 1, the windows being shown in their partially open position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional detail view upon an enlarged scale through one of the actuator rods of the device;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken upon an enlarged scale, through the limit switch element forming a part of the invention;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a further detail view of the invention;

Figure 7 is a vertical transverse sectional detail view taken upon an enlarged scale substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line l'! of Figure 4 and illustrating the locking means of the adjustable limit switch of the invention;

Figure 8 is an elevational view of a moisture responsive switch forming an essential part of the invention;

Figure 9 is. an end elevational view of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the insulating plate forming a part of the moisture responsive switch shown in Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary detail view, parts being shown in elevation and part in vertical section of the driving motor and the detachable coupling for securing the same to the window operating mechanism; and,

Figure 12 is an electrical diagram of the electrical circuits which may be utilized as a part of this invention.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, it will be seen that the numeral l0 designates generally a conventional window construction, to which the principles and the device of the present invention may be readily applied, the window illustrated being of the conventional double hung casement type comprising a pair of window frames l2 which are suitably mounted in a casement indicated at M and are hinged for movement about vertical axes at opposite sides of the casement.

Mounted in any convenient location adjacent the window construction ii) is an electric motor l5 of a conventional reversible type, this motor, as also shown in Figure 11, including a reduction and gearing assembly housed in a casing I8 attached to the motor casing, and which is operatively connected to the two window sash l2 in a manner to be subsequently set forth for automatically opening and closing the window sash as set forth hereinafter.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 2 it will be seen that the window sash [2 are provided with hinges 20 whereby the sash may be swung in a horizontal plane about the vertical axes of the hinges 20 from the closed position shown in Figure 1 through the intermediate position shown in Figure 2 and to a fully open position, not shown, but which will be readily understood.

The window operating mechanism for automatically moving the window sash towards the open or closed positions includes a drive shaft 22 *igures l 2.

In each of the housings 2:15, the drive shaft is provided with a Worm pinion 23 fixedly secured to the shaft and rotating therewith.

pinion gear 28 rotatably journaled upon suitable vertically disposed axes 353 mounted wi hin the housings 25, whereby upon rotation of the drive shaft 22, the pinions 223 will be caused to oscillate in a horizontal plane.

The pinions are integrally formed upon angulated operating arms 32, which arms extend through suitable apertures in the window casement and at their extremit'es are pivotally and slidably connected as by pivot pins 3% which exthrough elongated slots as in the frame of window sash 52. Thus, as the drive shaft is otated, the actuating arms will be oscillated in a horizontal plane, and by virtue of their connection with the window sash l2 will move the same between their open and closed positions.

Referring now again more particularly to Figure 11, it will be noted that the drive shaft 22 is coupled to the output shaft SE of the reduction gearing assembly iii as by means of a coupling sleeve to which is secured to the dive shaft 22 as by a pin or the like 42, and to the output shaft as by a set screw it. It will be understood that the output at of the reduction gearing assembly :8 is suitably geared to the armature shaft of the motor is. It will now be apparent that by removing the coupling memts from its engagement with either the cut put shaft 88 or the drive shaft 22, that the driving connection between the motor and the window actuators 32 will be disconnected for a purpose which will be subsequently apparent.

Adjacent the side of the window casement it, he drive shaft 22 is provided with a bevel gear which is continuously in mesh with a corespcnding bevel gear ,8 carried by a vertically .isposed lay shaft 5 The latter is suitably journaled upon the easement of the window, nd at its lower end extends into and is journaled in a switch box 52 which houses a pair of limit switches which are connected with the electrical. circuit of motor it for stopping the motor when re window sashes are at the limits of their opening and closing positions for which the switches have been set.

By means of the connection of the lay shaft with the drive shaft 22, which connection is on the opposite side of the detachable coupling member iii, above mentioned, it will be apparent that actuation of the limit switches is effected in synchronization with the movement and positions of the window sashes.

Within the housing 52 the shaft 59 is provided with a screw threaded portion 54 and a carriage to of any suitable construction is received upon the threaded portion for axial sliding movement thereon. The carriage is provided with laterally extending upper and lower arms 58 and as which serve to actuate the limit switches to be hereinafter described, and one side of the carriage abuts a guide surface 52, see Figure 5, formed within the housing 52 to thereby preve t rotation of the carriage during its axial movement.

Adjacent its lower end, the housing is pro vided with an opening at through which may be inserted a hand crank 56, this cranlz engaging in an internally splined socket in a worm gear 83 suitably journaled within the housing and constantly in mesh with a pinion it which is fixedly secured to the lower end of the screw threaded portion 55. Thus, by inserting the hand crank, after the coupling member been released from its engagement with the drive shaft 22 and the output shaft 38, lay shaft 51; may be rotated and through the bevel gearing 48 and it will cause rotation of drive shaft 22 and through the latter will operate the window sash.

Secured in the lower portion or" the housing 52 is a conventional limit switch having a push button '52 disposed in position to be abutted engaged by the lower arm to or" the carriage in the lower position of the latter. When t 653 presses the button 72, the limit swito will be actuated and due to its sociation with and inclusion in the electric cirouit of the motor it, in a manner to be set forth hereinafter, it will cause cessation of movement of the motor and consequently stop the movement or" the window sash l2. It is contemplated that the stationary limit switch shall control the closing movement of the window and shall be so positioned and associated with respect to the geared connection to the window levers 32, that upon the complete closing the window the lower or closing limit switch v ill deenergize the circuit for the electric motor.

The opening movement of the window sash 3 is controlled by an adjustable limit switch wh by the extent of the opening movement ray may be varied as found to be expedient. t' purpose, the upper limit switch is mounted a carrier M in the form of a housing, the l- -r surface of this carrier having a push button similar to the push button '12 and disposed in the path of travel of the upper arm on th ar riage 5'6. It will thus be seen in the upp position of the carrier 56, its arm 5?, will actu ate the button it and through the limit and its association with the electrical of the motor, will (is-energize the ciroul cause a stopping of the movement of the window sash l2.

Referring now more particularly to igures and 7 it will be seen that a rack bar it posed upon a side wall of the limit s"? ing E2 in a vertical position therein, l. movable housing i l of the upper limit swi provided with a T-shaped slot as which embraces the correspondingly shaped racl; if; as Will be apparent from Fi ures 4-7, the carrier M is sliadbly mounted and secured to the rack bar for vertical movement thereupon.

Within the carrier Hi there is provided a supporting bracket 82 and a loc g or latch plunger 84 is slidably secured in this bracket and in the wall of the carrier it, this latching plunger being spring urged as by a compression sp -ng 55 into locking engagement with the rack. bar Thus, by withdrawing the plunger 53 i manually, the same may be disengaged from the rack bar to permit the body 14 to be adjusted vertically upon the same. By this means the upper switch may be adjusted towards or from the stationary lower switch to thereby limit and adjust the range of travel of the carrier 56 therebetween whether the movement of the carrier is due to the operation oi" the motor or due to the manual rotation of shaft 50 by hand crank 86, thu regulating extent of movement of the operating mechanism for the window and consequently of the window sash.

The upper and lower limit switches may be of any conventional known construction, and preferably of identical design. Since the details of such switches are well understood, further explanation is believed to be unnecessary, it merely being noted that there are provided spaced relatively movable terminals 88 and S8 suitably connected to the electrical circuit of the motor, and respectively urged from each other by actuating of the push button 72 or 75 in a manner which will be readily understood.

Suitable manually operated control switches Q3 and 95, see Figure l, may be provided upon the wall of the limit switch casing 52 and appropriately connected to the electrical circuits of the motor whereby the operator may de-energize the entire circuit; or may manually err-- ergize the motor to effect opening or closing of the window as desired, without requiring the actuation of the moisture responsive switch to be now described.

Referring to Figures 8l0, it will be seen that the moisture responsive switch consists of a plate of a suitable dielectric material such as glass or the like, which plate is preferably of a substantially rectangular shape having a fiat edge he and a notched or scalloped edge it. The upper horizontal flat edge 94 is provided with suit able grooves or recesses 98 therein, while the notched portions 83 from the bottom edge are provided with corresponding notches or grooves lilii. At its opposite ends, the dielectric plate 92 is provided with pairs of apertures 82 and it l. A pair of parallel electric conductors ME and P58 are wound upon the dielectric plate 92, these conductors being seated in the notches 98 and W2 and being maintained in parallel spaced relation vith respect to each other thereby. The ends or" these conductors are extended through the apertures m2 and Hi l as shown in Figure 8 and suitably connected to the electric circuit for supplying power to the electric motor. The notched lower edges 96 on the dielectric plate serve to shed moisture therefrom in order to effect quick drying of the switch after moisture has ceas 'l thereon. ""he arrangement is such n moisture striking the switch, the par allel conductors the and IE8 will be shorted thereby to thus close the circuit for the electric motor and energize this circuit except as the same may be out off by the limit switches. Obviously, the moisture switch may be placed in any desired location upon the exterior of a building or the like so that upon the precipitation of rain, the electric motor circuit will be energized to cause the motor to close the windows.

Reference is now made to Figure 12 for an illustration of a suitable electric circuit for connecting the limit switch assembly with the electric motor with a source of electric power.

Indicated at i i9 is a conventional electric plug which may be detachably connected into any suitable electric outlet to provide power from an elec ric source for energizing the motor circuits and the motor I8. Conductors M2 and H4 extend from the plug Ht. The conductor II? is provided with the manual switch 93 whereby the entire device may be selectively rendered oper ative or inoperative as desired. A suitable safety fuse II8 may be secured in series with the conductor II4. The moisture responsive switch 92, having the conductors I95 and I66 ther on is respectively connected at I to the conductor H2 and through a solenoid coil 22 and the connec tion I24 to the conductor H5. The manual switch 95 enables the operator to short circuit the moisture responsive switch in order to effect clos ing of the window by the mechanism even though the moisture responsive swtich is not activated by the presence of moisture thereon.

The conductor II 2 is connected to one field coil I25 of the electric motor, and the conductor H4 is connected to the other field coil ms. The motor I5 has its brushes I and I32 connected with conductors I34 and I 36 respectively. conductor I34 is connected with the movable switch terminal i 38 on a movable switch plate I ll) pivoted as at l 42. Connected to the other end of the field coil I26 from the conductor I i2 is a conductor I la which is connected to a stationary electrical terminal I 48. The brush I22 has a conductor 535 connected thereto, the other end of this conductor being connected to a fixed terminal H3 likewise carried by the movable switch member I49.

A further electric conductor i5?! is connected at the other end of the coil I23 from the conductor Ii l, and is connected to a fixed terminal 52. The terminals 546 and I52 are fixed terminals which are alternately and selectively engaged by the terminal M8 carried by the switch lever Hit. A second fixed terminal 554 is positioned adjacent a fixed terminal tilt upon posits sides of an adapter to be alt-rnately ngaged by the terminal 538 carried by the swi lever W3. A conductor I58 connects the termi- 554 with a terminal contact I69 and the latter cooperates with a terminal contact I62 connected by a conductor I64 as at N with the above mentioned conductor M4. The terminal i553 in ti n is connected by conductor I53 with a terminal I'IE! cooperating with a second terminal H2 connected by conductor I74 with a conductor I51 as at H8.

The switch lever I 4 is yieldingly urged as spring il8 into a position whereby the contact I35 and I ld will respectively engage the contact. E56 and M5. The arrangement is such and th circuits are such that in this position, with th' manual switch H6 closed the plug Iii) con nected to a suitable source of electrical ener the actuation of either of the switches 92 or Q will cause the solenoid I22 to move the lever against the resistance of spring Elli, thereby causing the contacts I38 and M3 to disengage from the contacts 553 and I46 and to engage the con-- tacts I as and I 52 respectively.

The contact members 88 and so in the limit switches correspond to the contacts I I52 and I10, I72 in the diagram of Figure 12.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the presence of moisture upon the switch 92, after other appropriate switches have been properly set, will cause the mechanism to automatically close the windows; and after the moisture re sponsive switch has dried, the solenoid will be de-energized and the spring its will cause the switch mechanism to reverse the operation and cause the motor to open the windows again.

rom the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suit able modification and equivalents may he resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

i. An automatic window operating device con-- prising an electric motor, circuit means connecting said motor to a source of power, a shaft connected to a window for moving same between open and closed positions, means detachably connesting said motor to said shaft for rotating same, a second shaft operatively connected said first shaft for rotation therewith at times, means connected to said second shaft for rotating both of said shafts independently of said motor, a pair of limit means positioned adjacent said second shaft and interposed in circuit means, means carried by said second shaft for movement thereon between said limit means to control the rotation of said shafts for i' not-- ing the flow of current to said motor and or him iting the operation of said shafts independently of the motor, and means operatively connewith said circuit means for operating said motor.

2. An automatic window operating device of claim 1 wherein one of said limit means is adjustable with respect to the other limit means to control the movement of the means on said second shaft.

3. An automatic window operating deviee'comprising an electric motor, circuit means connecting said motor to a source of power, a precipita- "ion responsive element operatively connected with said circuit for operating said motor, a shaft connected to a window for moving same between open and closed positions, means detachably connecting said motor to said shaft for rotating same, a second shaft operatively connected to said first shaft for rotation therewith at all times, means connected to said second shaft for rota ing both of said shafts independently of said motor, a pair of limit means positioned adjacent said second shaft and interposed in said circuit means, means carried by said second shaft for movement thereon between said limit means to control the rotation of said shafts for interrupting the flow of current to said motor and for limiting the operation of said shafts independently of the motor, and a oy-pass circuit about said precipitation responsive element and a manually operable switch for said by-pass circuit.

4. An automatic window operating device com prising an electric motor, a circuit means connecting said motor to a source of power, a precipitation responsive element operatively connected with said circuit for operating said motor, a shaft connected to a window for moving same between open and closed positions, means detachably connecting said motor to said shaft for rotating same, a second shaft operativeiy connected to said first shaft for rotation therewith at all times, means connected to said second shaft for rotating both of said shafts independently of said motor, a pair of limit means positioned adjacent said second shaft and interposed in said circuit means, said second shaft including a threaded portion defining a rotating screv a carriage mounted on said screw for movement axially thereof and means on said carriage ens" gee-ole with said limit means for controlling the rotation of said shafts for interrupting the flow of odrr nt to said motor and for limiting the operation of said shafts independently of the motor.

5. An automatic Window operating device com prising an electric motor, circuit means conneeting said motor to a source of power, a precipit, responsive element operatively connected said circuit for operating said motor, a onnected to a window for moving same oetween open and closed positions, means detachaoiy con ing said motor to said shaft for rotating a second shaft operatively connected to of said shafts independently of said motd, p ir of limit means positioned adjacent said second on between said limit means to control i tion of said shafts for interrupting current to said motor and for limiting the opera tion of said shafts independently of m tor, one of said limit mean being adjustable respect to the other limit means to comovement of the means on said second s. adjustable limit means having a suppo t, a upon which said support is slidaloiy J a latch carried by said support for adjurt,..hly locking said support to said rack.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 523,473 Huntington July 24, 1,349,954 Hartford Aug. 17, Q 1,551,512 GOfi Aug. 25, 5 1,554,674 Herod Sept. 5 1,636,519 Larsen July 19, 7 1,750,736 Volle Mar. 1? 5 1,963,227 Crawford et al June 1.9, 4, 1,966,815 Fuller July 2,108,328 Carnahan Feb. 1*, 3 2,198,488 Smith Apr. 3 2,342,597 Opalek Feb. 22, 4: 2,531,116 Donoghue N 2i, i) 

